Medicinal applicator and swab.



J. A. BARTHOLOMEW. MEDICINAL APPLICATOR AND SWAB.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-13, 1908.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.-

To all whom it may concern:

- on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

JOHN -A. BAnrHoLoMEw, or

cmcAeo, ILLINOIS.

MEDICINAL APPLICATOR AND SWA B.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 24, 1911.

Application filed January 13, 1908. Serial No. 410,565.

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Biin'rrrono- NEW, a .citizen'of the United .States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Medicinal Applicators and Swabs; and I .do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked .thereon, which form a part of this specification.

It is frequently important to apply in the various cavities of the body and head medicinal preparations, and it is, of course, im-

ortant in such cases that the applicator e of such a nature as to preclude possibility.

of injury either because ofthe manner of its construction or because it is not readily made antiseptic. I

' With this in view, it is an object of my invention to afiord an applicator and swab so constructed as to be easily sterilized without affecting the quality or utility thereof and of such material as to afford great resiliency and absorptive power.

I It is a further object of the invention to afford a device of the class described in which any rigid portion thereof is entirely inclosed in a resilient, absorptive covering of such anature, however, as to entirely prevent any such rigid portions being projected therethrough to cause injury.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out and defined in theappended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the pad of the applicator. Fig. 3 is a section taken In said-drawings: A represents the applicator pad or headwhich is constructed of sponge rubber and shaped to afford a comaratively long and slender pad resembling in shape the frustum of a cone and having bases rounded. Through the larger base thereof and forced inwardly of the pad approximately to or beyond the center is the handle A. This may be shaped to suit the requirements of the user. Usually, however, and preferably, it is cylindric to enable the handle to be rolled between the fingers or hands, thereby rapidly rotating the applicator in the cavity that is being treated or cleansed. pad in any suitable manner. Conveniently some sharp'pointed instrument of the nature of a speculum may be pressed into the larger base of the pad and the blades dilated to permit the handle to be pressed into lace. The speculum blades are then remove and the natural resiliency of the rubber firml binds the pad upon the handle. This bin ing effect, may, of course, be increased by roughe'ning that portion of the handle which 'is inserted into the pad or by providing on the inner end of the handle an enlarged head a behind which the rubber in contracting,

The handle may be inserted in the firmly engages, holding the pad from removal. I

Of course, if desired,.the ad may be trimmed after the insertion o the handle therein and of course, the proportions of the pad may vary depending upon the orifice the same is adapted for.v

The operation is as followszThe pad is first thoroughly-sterilized by any" ap roved method and owing to the materia with which it is constructed, is not capable" of being injured by such sterilization s, and owing to the porosity of the pad-the sterilizing agent finds access to all parts thereof. After sterilizationthe applicator'is soaked or impregnated in the medicine to be applied and again the porosity of the applicator enables a large quantity of the medicament to be taken up in the pores thereof. The pad is then inserted by means of the handle into the cavity to be cleansed and may, by rotation thereof, be brought into contact with all parts of the wall of the cavity, thus not only thoroughly cleansing the same but as 'well applying the medicament thereto.

Of course, the applicator may be used merely for cleansing purposes and for this purpose soap and 'WHtGIL, may be used instead of the medicament. This is particularly important owing to the desirability of protecting the lungs from thesoot that otherwise accumulates in the nose by removing such material frequently. This can, of course, b'e easily aceom lished by the implement herein shown and escribed.

Of course, details of construction may be varied without departing from the prmciples of this invention.

IXclaim1 as my invention: f

n a icatorcom risin 'a ad o s on 0 rubber ered froni one end to the ilbilh l' and roun ed at its outer end, an axial bore in the pad enlarged at its inner end pro- In. testimony whereof I have hereunto vid'ing a shoulder and a stem provlded wlth subscribed my name in the presence of two a tapered head adapted to spread the pad subscribin witnesses. to enter the bore and havmg an abrupt OHN A. BARTHOLOMEW. shoulder to engage the shoulder at the inner Witnesses:

s end of the bore in the pad to prevent retruc- C. W. HIILLSI,

7 tion thereof.

'J. W.ANQELL. I 

